The Sunday Poem: Barbara Byers... You may fall.

I have fallen so many times...and in so many ways. Once while riding my bicycle across Kansas, on a windless day with a flat road and no traffic, I rode my bike and trailer right into a deep ditch. It was one painful fall in a life full of them. This poem captures all that perfectly.

Barbara Byers lives in Nob Hill. She pedals past my house on her way home every day.

You may fall.

If you fall it will be hard.Brittle arms may lift you to your kneesand you will stand.

Hi Barbara, .I like that this poem doesn't spout simple pick yourself up and dust yourself off philosophies. Falling hurts- a lot. It's loud and amazingly personal too. You've captured all that. I love how 'you may fall' works two ways. Chances are it will happen. And you also have permission to do so. Thanks for sharing this. Dee

I've had a bruising bicycle crash about three years ago, and you described it beautifully, especially the after glow and shell game.The only thing I worry about here is the DitchRider's humorous and corny contention that there was once a windless day in Kansas.

When I was still working,my department members nicknamed me "Bonco Billy" because I fell out of my desk chair. And it was a good desk chair.One of only two in the department. Our buyer finessed a purchase order for the two chairs passed an acting plant manager. We had lots of laughs over that and the rest of the department had lots of laughs over me being thrown by my chair.